Race, Class, Values: GOP Attacks Obama, Possibly In Effort To Buoy Clinton

stumble digg reddit del.ico.us news trust

New York Times   |  CARL HULSE   |   April 26, 2008 02:13 PM

Read More: Barack Obama, GOP Attacks, GOP Attacks Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Breaking Politics News
Show your support.
Buzz this article up.

Senator Barack Obama is starring in a growing number of campaign commercials, but the latest batch is being underwritten by Republicans.

In a sign that the racial, class and values issues simmering in the presidential campaign could spread into the larger political arena, Republican groups are turning recent bumps in Mr. Obama's road -- notably his comment that small-town Americans "cling" to guns and religion out of bitterness and a fiery speech by his former minister in which he condemned the United States -- into attacks against Democrats down the ticket.

Read the whole story here.

 
 

Comments
79
Pending Comments
0

Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to

View Comments:
Page: 1 2 Next › Last » (2 pages total)
- abouttime See Profile I'm a Fan of abouttime

This is about what I expected from the neocons;
1st: support Obama because he "can't beat McCain"
2nd: smear Clinton because she "can beat McCain"
3rd: support Clinton because she "can't beat Obama"
4th: smear Obama because Obama has beaten Clinton
5th: smear Obama because he "can beat McClain"

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:20 PM on 04/26/2008
- UpstateSC See Profile I'm a Fan of UpstateSC

Great summary, which begs the question, why doesn't the GOP make ads telling us why we should vote FOR their candidate? The answer is that they can't think of any reason for us to vote for McCain, so they have to attack the Dems. The saddest part is that it seems to work.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:44 AM on 04/27/2008
- StillIRise See Profile I'm a Fan of StillIRise

I agree. The scenario I see is this:
ACT I (Curtains Rise):
1st: ridicule and mock Hillary because she is the inevitable nominee, and they know they can beat her, whoever the Republican nominee is ... they've been waiting for her for four years!
2nd: McCain becomes the presumed nominee, the weakest of the conservative candidates; they still believe they can defeat Hillary, but it won't be as easy with McCain
3rd: As Obama rises and Hillary flounders, they become scared. If Obama can defeat Hillary Clinton, the inevitable nominee and the most powerful Democrat in Washington, wife of the former President who is loved by Democrats, and a multi-millionaire ... they are in deep doo doo!
4th: Begin the smear campaign against Senator Obama to wipe him out NOW because, given the climate of America, and all of the odds favoring the Democrats, they know they cannot defeat Senator Obama in the general
5th: Senator Obama wins the nomination and the GOP becomes desperate! Their smears and swift-boating become even more vicious, but their weaponry is weakened because they've already used the best they have and by November, they will have lost much of their credibility, especially now that we know they've lied about Wright
(Curtains Fall)

ACT II (Curtains Rise): President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama is inaugurated and America reclaims its democracy

P.S. I'm a former High School English teacher, and I think I just got carried away ...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:20 PM on 04/26/2008
- UpstateSC See Profile I'm a Fan of UpstateSC

Love it!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:45 AM on 04/27/2008
- USApatriot See Profile I'm a Fan of USApatriot



The Republicans say there are no bitter people in America. Who could possibly be bitter with this right wing administration looking after them? Certainly not the victims of Katrina, or the 99% of taxpayers doling out proportionately more than the top 1%.

The economy may be in a recession, but hey, a new China/NAFTA type trade agreement is in the works with Colombia. U.S. wages have stagnated for 30 years while foreclosures are at an all time high. But who cares as long as gas is $4.00 a gallon and oil companies make record profits.The more government subsidies oil gets over alternative energies the better.

Our fathers and mothers, sons and daughters are dying in an internationally illegal preemptive war. Military tours of duty are extended, and veterans get reduced benefits when they finally do come home. Torture, invasion of privacy, and the absence of due process of law are now the norm. So what's to complain about?

Bitter? Obama doesn't know what he's talking about. Who could be bitter about being Bushwhacked?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:26 PM on 04/26/2008
- bwither See Profile I'm a Fan of bwither

Obama on the top of the ticket will be great for the party both as the president and for the contested seats of congress and the senate. But just like his campaign has succeeded due to the donations of over a million people, it will take that many and more to fight off the right wing smear machine.

For fighting off nasty campaign ads:
www.factcheck.org
www.snopes.com

Contact the FCC and get Rush pulled off the air for calling for riots in Denver
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html
The date of the program was 4/23/08
Rush is aired by the Premier Radio Network

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:22 PM on 04/26/2008
- Countess See Profile I'm a Fan of Countess

Hillary Clinton is a right wing queen and she wants to run with Anne Coulter as her running mate on a platform of obliterating liberals and Iran.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:32 PM on 04/26/2008
- zorrobozo See Profile I'm a Fan of zorrobozo

Hillary and Rush Limbaugh as VP. . .

Rush and Bill can share a cigar and chuckle to their hearts content as the Democrats commit political suicide with Hillary leading the charge over the cliff. . .

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:08 PM on 04/26/2008
- vet64 See Profile I'm a Fan of vet64

When did voter fraud become legal? I see Herr drug addict Limbaugh exhorting the Neo Con Parasites and Republican Mushrooms to commit voter fraud and they're getting away with it.
With the paid off pundits at the Pennsylvania primary, the Neo Con owned News Media Conglomerates is doing its part in the Collusion between them and the Neo Con Parasites infesting the Executive Branch, by keeping the talking points on the Democrats focused on BS between Obama and Clinton while deliberately staying away from their goals and idealogies. While at the same time the Neo Con owned News Media Conglomerates are fawning over McClain.
Collusion is against the law and so far the Bush Administration has paid the Neo Con owned News Media up to 10 billion American Taxpayer dollars to use for propaganda purposes to lie and deceive the American Taxpayers.. By keeping news focused on the positive aspects of the Neo Con idealogies, actions and policies while at the same time obfuscating the truth about the negative aspects of the Neo con idelaogies.
It all adds up to Treason, Collusion and Conflict of Interest. It's time to rid ourselves of the Neo con Parasites infesting the Executive Branch and the equally Treasonous Conflict of Interest and Collusion challenged Republican and Democratic Legislators who prostituted their votes to enrich them and their Neo Con campaign contributors by passing laws to deregulate them and financially enrich themselves and their Corporate Pimps and to legally shield themselves and their Corporate benefactors.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:46 PM on 04/26/2008
- BethStuart See Profile I'm a Fan of BethStuart

Here's the low down on Freedom's Watch, the "grass roots" organization behind the attack ads on Obama. Their leader is Ari Fleischer, Bush's former press secretary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom's_Watch

According to the article, Freedom's Watch also believes in a preemptive attack on Iran.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:23 PM on 04/26/2008
- Marlyn See Profile I'm a Fan of Marlyn

"GOP Attacks Obama On Range Of Issues, Possibly In Effort To Buoy Clinton"

hmmmmmm ...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:19 PM on 04/26/2008
- tiredoflies See Profile I'm a Fan of tiredoflies

What a load of crap. It's simple, repubs want Obama on the ballot because he will be so much easier to beat. He has yet to be in a bloody election fight yet. I am not even sure he knows how to fight, but if I was a repub, I would want him running against me too. It would be like a gift from the dems.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:11 PM on 04/26/2008
- BillyT See Profile I'm a Fan of BillyT

FOR THE RECORD, you Hillary ignorani:

GOP WANTS HILLARY, NOT OBAMA

Rush Limbaugh has been touting to the GOPs

"Why We Want to Keep Hillary Alive"

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030308/content/01125107.guest.html

Is there ANY FURTHER WONDERING about why they are attacking Obama??

If so, you are just delusional in thinking that GOP wants what's best for the Democratic Party.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:01 PM on 04/26/2008
- TocinoHumano See Profile I'm a Fan of TocinoHumano

The GOP in an effort to buoy Clinton? Wow, the paranoia has truly struck deep in this campaign season. I'm guessing there has been a sharp spike in aluminum foil sales.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:37 PM on 04/26/2008
- BillyT See Profile I'm a Fan of BillyT

You, TocinoHumano, are ignorant.

Rush Limbaugh has been touting to the GOPs

"Why We Want to Keep Hillary Alive"

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030308/content/01125107.guest.html

And you thought all the GOP good wishes toward Hillary are sincere?? From the GOP??

Do you think they would attack the one they don't give a hoot about in November, or the one they need to gear up for??

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

HA.

Try again when you know ANYTHING.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:48 PM on 04/26/2008
- getoffmedz See Profile I'm a Fan of getoffmedz

Rush who?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:49 PM on 04/26/2008
- shockmagog See Profile I'm a Fan of shockmagog

At the very least they're trying to weaken the Democratic frontrunner. Buoying Clinton may just be a secondary consequence of that effort.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:45 PM on 04/26/2008
- lobo1939 See Profile I'm a Fan of lobo1939

This is news? Rush Limpdick has been urging his dito heads to vote for Hillary since last December. His goal has been more than realized. Hillary keeps hobbling from first one must win state to another with just enough win(d) in her sails and money to struggle on. Rush, McCain and the Repugs are watching us democrats grind ourselves into fine dush without so much as raising a finger of effort. Hillary meanwhile plays kissyface with the most repulsive republicans of the lot (the great right wing conspiracy gang) while providing McCain and company with campaign material to use against Obama next fall. I am old enough that this maybe the last presidential election of my life and It is beyond painful to watch, I apologize to my grandchildren.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:36 PM on 04/26/2008
- CyrusBeaucephus See Profile I'm a Fan of CyrusBeaucephus

can someone explain why the new GOP logo features inverted stars, as opposed to the upright stars that are on the American flag?. I thought you GOPers got all worked up about pentagrams and that kind of sybolism. I really think having pentagrams in their logo is totally appropriate, but I'm suprised that the Party of Evil is being so overt

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:29 PM on 04/26/2008
- SouthFloridaDem See Profile I'm a Fan of SouthFloridaDem

Wow, you're right! Good God! And they didn't realize that? Oh brother, they've just lost their evangelical base for good. Wait until Hagee and Parsley see this. Just goes to show you that you have to turn logos 360 to examine them for any problems.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:47 PM on 04/26/2008
- getoffmedz See Profile I'm a Fan of getoffmedz

The symbol of the big star - the old Soviet Union, Texas, the Fake Republican Party and The Homeland. The pentagram is a focal point for evil and a place to access the powers of evil. It's been around in human mythology and symbolism much longer than a cross.

BOO!

heh

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:44 PM on 04/26/2008
- CyrusBeaucephus See Profile I'm a Fan of CyrusBeaucephus

Just look at the dollar bill sometime if you need proof that the founding fathers were not any too Christian

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:07 PM on 04/27/2008
- getoffmedz See Profile I'm a Fan of getoffmedz

The current MSM spin on race, class and values which implies Democrats are fomenting these issues and are the source of these divisions in America is absolutely beyond redeeming qualities. In fact, this form of rhetoric falls squarely in the category of LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

When it comes to racism, elitism and lack of values in our country there is only one place to look, the Fake Republican Party which as standard practice operates well outside of the law and the expected range of American morals.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:26 PM on 04/26/2008
- BethStuart See Profile I'm a Fan of BethStuart

I see Freedom's Watch is behind at least one of these attack ads. This is a white-house front group funded by some heavyweight far-right money bags. One of them is Sheldon Adelson, the 3rd richest man in America with $26 billion. He's a gambling czar and owns several casinos in Las Vegas. I wonder if people who play his slot machines know where their money is going.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:24 PM on 04/26/2008
- cramos See Profile I'm a Fan of cramos

Silly rabbits....they are testing what attacks work.........these are usually tested out with Focus Groups.....

They will devastate him............to much dirty laundry Hillary has stayed away from..........but they won't

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:15 PM on 04/26/2008
- BillyT See Profile I'm a Fan of BillyT

No, that's just your wishful thinking. They KNOW They don't have to worry about Hillary in NOV. She's easy to take apart. She's already self-destructed with her own negativity.

Rush Limbaugh has been touting to the GOPs

"Why We Want to Keep Hillary Alive"

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030308/content/01125107.guest.html

Do you think they would attack the one they don't give a hoot about in November, or the one they need to gear up for??

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:50 PM on 04/26/2008
- lafrance See Profile I'm a Fan of lafrance

The gop circulated a 5 page memo detailing how to help Hillary get the nomination. They stressed they needed Hillary to get the nomination. It was on Countdown.
Now the press is buying their spin and reporting exactly what the gop wants them to. They are so stupid.
This is like wmd's. And they fall for it everytime.
McCain knows he will lose if Obama is the nominee. McCain was overheard to say this a couple weeks ago.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:13 PM on 04/26/2008
- tiredoflies See Profile I'm a Fan of tiredoflies

Do you always put that much stock in what McCain says? How about providing a link for that memo.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:14 PM on 04/26/2008
- SouthFloridaDem See Profile I'm a Fan of SouthFloridaDem

Worst part is Hillary started all this with her "I'm fully vetted and I can stand up to them" crap. Well, that's BS too. He can take it better than she could. She's never been the target of the GOP on her own, only by being married to Bill. They've been salivating for a chance to get at her all by herself. She has no idea. Making things more interesting is that fact that Bill can't handle himself anymore, as he's proven more than a few times during this primary. Can you image what kind of a tear he'd go on once the GOP started in on her, and brought him into it? What Democrat in their right mind wants to set the stage for GOP versus the Clintons?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:52 PM on 04/26/2008
- kipmartin See Profile I'm a Fan of kipmartin

what did you expect? "Vote for McCain because he's white!"?

and what do you think all the talk about Hillary doing damage to the party was all about?

this is a moronic article. its saying what Obama's folks have been saying for a couple months. did you think the Obama people made this stuff up?

Hillary is making it tough for Obama to win the nomination but what shes really ultimately doing is making it tough for any democrat to win. you really think the republicans like her? no, they like what shes doing to the party.

and all you Hillary trolls can kiss my ass. your candidate is a loser--in every sense of the word.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:54 PM on 04/26/2008
- JAB20 See Profile I'm a Fan of JAB20

Of course it's an effort to buoy Clinton. Republicans who plan to vote for McCain are crossing over in late Democratic primaries to vote for Clinton. North Carolina Republicans are running nasty ads whose real target is Obama. McCain gets to have it both ways, criticizing the ads while still benefiting from them. A couple of weeks ago, your own web site reported 14 negative Obama news releases from the McCain camp and only three negative Clinton releases from the same source.

People say if Obama is nominated all you'll hear is "bitter" and Rev. Wright. What's new? If Clinton's nominated all you see and hear are clips of her lying about Bosnia and her opposition from birth to NAFTA and reminders of the scandal and intern diddling in the previous Clinton administration. It's all more of the same--the nasty form of old politics in the tradition of Willie Horton and the Swift Boat group. For me personally, the only way to stop it is to support Obama, and I do.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:51 PM on 04/26/2008
- redraymonds See Profile I'm a Fan of redraymonds

this shows clearly that the republicans want obama top loose, and hillary to win the primary, so that she can be flushed down the drain in the general

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:36 PM on 04/26/2008
- apresdeluge See Profile I'm a Fan of apresdeluge

Let me see if I have this right........if the Republicans attack Hillary Clinton, it's Hillary's fault and proves she can't win in November and if the Republicans attack Obama, it's Hillary's fault and proves she can't win in November. Wow, HuffPost has gotten so good at this propaganda they would make Joseph Goebbels blush.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:33 PM on 04/26/2008
- BillyT See Profile I'm a Fan of BillyT

You, apresdeluge, are confused. And ignorant.

Rush Limbaugh has been touting to the GOPs

"Why We Want to Keep Hillary Alive"

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030308/content/01125107.guest.html

And you thought all the GOP good wishes toward Hillary are sincere?? From the GOP??

Do you think they would attack the one they don't give a hoot about in November, or the one they need to gear up for??

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:51 PM on 04/26/2008
- nanotubz See Profile I'm a Fan of nanotubz

You just made the first part up, right?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:35 PM on 04/26/2008
- Mahavishnu See Profile I'm a Fan of Mahavishnu

No he or she didn't. The first 75% of this primary has been Clinton bashing and folks crossing over from Republican to vote for Obama in the primaries. I didn't hear you guys complaining then. But now, apparently some are crossing over to vote for Hillary to even further control the Dems...and Obama supporters are calling for investigations.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:03 PM on 04/26/2008
- SouthFloridaDem See Profile I'm a Fan of SouthFloridaDem

You think that was "Clinton bashing?" Oh brother. You have no idea.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:53 PM on 04/26/2008
- cmrinc See Profile I'm a Fan of cmrinc

Obama is the only choice,

The Economy - He can fix it
Immigration - He can fix it
Global Warming - He can fix it
Foreign Policy - He can fix it
Terrorism - He can fix it
Racism - He can fix it
Wars - He can fix it
Health - He can fix it

Why woul anybody vote for anyone else when Obama can Fix Everything.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:30 PM on 04/26/2008
- getoffmedz See Profile I'm a Fan of getoffmedz

OK! Great Comment. But now, please be specific point-by-point?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:28 PM on 04/26/2008
- cmrinc See Profile I'm a Fan of cmrinc

Sure,

Obama can fix everything, and I can prove it.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:34 PM on 04/26/2008
- getoffmedz See Profile I'm a Fan of getoffmedz

Then do so.

NOW.

    Favorite    Flag